Join me on my quest to attend all 162 Brewers games during the 2012 season, while raising awareness for the Be The Match Registry along the way.

5-12-12 (vs. Chicago Cubs)

I didn’t get done writing the post for Friday’s game until 3:00 am, and I finally got to bed just before 3:40. My alarm was set for 9:20, and I was really tempted to just turn it off and go back to sleep. I resisted, and I left the house just before 10:00. I was meeting three friends at Crandall’s place in town, but when I got there one of the three wasn’t there. I texted him three times and called his cell phone seven times in a span of 15 minutes, I also tried his landline three times. At 10:30 we decided to leave without him. When we were five minutes away he texted saying his phone had died so he didn’t have an alarm. I wasn’t too upset but had been looking forward to going to the game with him. We didn’t have time to turn around or any of that nonsense, and any other delays would’ve made it extremely close.

We pulled into the back of the Money lot at 11:45 and made our way towards Miller Park. There was no time to get the game number picture taken in the upper deck before the game. I told Crandall and Brietzke (the other attendee), that we’d have to get it done after the game, which they were fine with. I was in my seat with six minutes to spare. That was cutting it a little too close for comfort. Crandall and Brietzke had seats in section 228, and it was just me in my usual 221. After I learned that Tyler (the guy who slept in), was not going to make it, I posted a tweet asking if any of my tweeps wanted to join me for the game, but I think it was a little late.

The game got underway and the Crew got down early. A double play groundout by the Cubs’ Castro gave them a 1-0 lead in the first. The Brewers came right back with a run of their own in the bottom of the frame. Nyjer Morgan doubled and Braun was hit by a pitch, and it turned into a first and third situation with two outs. Braun was on first and started running for second, the Cubs’ pitcher Volstad stepped off the mound after the old fake-to-third-go-to-first-move. Volstad ran at Braun and a pickle ensued, Nyjer Morgan started inching towards home, and then took off and scored the tying run without a throw. Braun was tagged out, but Morgan crossed the plate first, so the run counted.

At one point during the game the people behind me pointed out that this guy was in one of the booths:

Rollie Fingers! Still sporting the handlebar mustache. After doing a quick Wikipedia search, I learned that he had originally grew the mustache to get a $300 bonus from then Oakland Athletics owner Charles Finley. Fingers pitched for the Brewers from 1981 to 1985, and won the AL MVP and Cy Young Awards during the 1981 season. If he hadn’t torn a muscle in his arm and was available for the 1982 Fall Classic, the Brewers may very well be the owners of a World Series trophy.

The game stayed tied at one a piece until the bottom of the sixth. Lucroy doubled to open the frame, and Braun followed with a single. Ramirez forced Braun out at second, but Lucroy came home with the go-ahead run. Corey Hart doubled, and Ramirez moved to third, leaving first base open. The Cubs thought they would be better off facing the light hitting backup infielder Edwin Maysonet (hmmmmm) and walked Ishikawa to get to him. On the second pitch Maysonet hit a Grand Slam to left field, and the Brewers grabbed control of the game with a 6-1 lead. Here’s Maysonet as he prepares to get a congratulatory hand shake from Brewers third base coach Ed Sedar.

The Cubs put one on the board in the eighth, but the Brewers answered with two of their own in the bottom half, and that was all the scoring. Final Score: Brewers 8 – Cubs 2. More handshakes and high fives followed the victory. It was a great win for the Crew, a great outing from Marcum (7 ip, 3 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 K), and a “salami” from an unexpected source.

After waiting for the concourse to clear we went up to section 436 to get the game number picture. Just a few more games and I’ll be moving down to the loge (2nd) level and doing the same gradual progression around the stadium.

On our way back to the car we noticed something strange. From a distance we could see two people standing on the roof of a white van, but we couldn’t make out who. When we got closer we realized that they were young girls, I would say between 7 and 10 (I’m terrible with ages now). They were both standing up there, and when we were walking past, the adults were throwing things up there for them to catch (I think it was bottle caps). Now, I’m no parent, but I don’t think I’d want my kids on the roof of a van, when it would be pretty easy to slip or stumble off. Even though it may look like it, Crandall (pictured in white on the right) is not relieving himself next to the van.

Mother’s day is tomorrow and I’m taking my mom to the game. A good time should be had by all.

Greetings. I found this site because your blog and mine are both featured under the same article on the MLBlogs main page. I was at this game as well, as part of my own quest to see a game at every ballpark in the majors (Miller park is # 25, but I’ve never been to more than 4 in a single season). Hope Maysonet sticks with the Brew Crew, he’s killing my Albuquerque Isotopes in Triple-A. Good luck with both your goals.

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